Sangrita Recipe: Mexico's Spicy Tequila Chaser

Ingredients

15 oz tomato juice
6 oz grapefruit juice freshly squeezed
6 oz orange juice freshly squeezed
2 oz lime juice freshly squeezed
½ oz sauce Mexican-style, e.g. Valentina or Tabasco; add more to taste
2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
1 tsp salt
1 jalapeño halved, seeds in
1½ oz blanco tequila per person, served neat alongsidee.g. Olmeca Altos · Patrón · Don Julio · Espolòn · El Jimador

Garnish: Lime wedge · Ice: Served up, no ice

Method

Combine tomato, grapefruit, orange and lime juice in a pitcher with the hot sauce, pepper and salt.
Stir until the salt has dissolved completely.
Add the halved jalapeño and chill for 15 to 30 minutes, tasting now and then; the longer it steeps, the hotter it gets.
Remove the jalapeño and keep the sangrita cold in the fridge.
Serve in small glasses next to a neat shot of blanco tequila and sip them alternately.

Watch it made

Sangrita

Taste

Savory and tangy with bright citrus, a peppery bite and slow chili heat. The sangrita itself is alcohol free; the strength comes only from the tequila beside it.

History and origin

Sangrita ("little blood") is a Mexican tradition from the state of Jalisco, the heartland of tequila. It is not a cocktail in its own right but a companion: a non-alcoholic chaser served in a small glass next to a caballito of neat tequila.

The older style, still common around Guadalajara, is usually described as a mix of orange juice, lime and chili, often coloured with pomegranate or grenadine. Tomato juice became standard in many bars later and is now what most people outside Mexico expect. Both are genuine traditions, and recipes vary from house to house.

This version takes the tomato route, balanced with plenty of fresh citrus and a fresh jalapeño that infuses the batch while it rests.

Bartender tips

Start with less hot sauce than you think and adjust at the end; the jalapeño adds heat while it steeps.
Freshly squeezed citrus makes the difference between a sharp, lively sangrita and a flat tomato drink.
Kept cold and covered, the batch stays good for two to three days; stir before pouring.

Variations

Pomegranate sangrita: Skip the tomato juice, use more orange juice and add pomegranate juice or a little grenadine plus chili powder for the older Jalisco style.
Bandera: Serve three glasses in the colours of the Mexican flag: lime juice, blanco tequila and sangrita.